Welcome to Affirm Foundation presented by Princeton ministries with Dr. Ken Smith. This is Carol Smith, Ken’s wife. Please enjoy.

There are some doctrines of the church that are always popular. There are others who have had their day of popularity and have since not been heard of in the church. I think it can be said that the doctrine of predestination has fallen on bad days. If ever there was a doctrine that no one really wants to hear about its predestination.

From the word of God. We invite you to stay tuned for the next half hour as we bring you a message from the word of God brought to us by the Reverend Ken Smith, minister of the Princeton Presbyterian Church in historic Princeton, New Jersey. Once again, here’s Ken Smith as he continues his message from the word of God.

To talk about predestination just simply is going to bring division. Someone else will say, well, it’s so theoretical and so theological that I never can really understand it. Well, the doctrine of predestination has received, I think in recent years comparatively little attention by the Church of Jesus Christ. And to speak about predestination in the context of the church, some people would think that you were introducing a new doctrine. Where did you get this one from? Well, BB Warfield, one of the greatest theologians of Princeton seminary said this. No word can adequately convey the place occupied by the idea of predestination in the religious system of the Bible. And yet there seems to be in our own day a type of prejudice against the doctrine.

Aa Hodge, also of Princeton, noted that there seems to be an inattention to the doctrine and it seems to have an unfounded and ignorant prejudice against it. Someone has said a little education is a dangerous thing. I think the same is true. A little predestination is a dangerous thing and most have just simply touched the peak of this teaching and have said, no more for me. Well, is that a wise position for us as Christians? Actually, I remember the first time that I ever heard anyone talk about predestination. I was in a college class. A man came and was talking on theology and he talked about becoming one of Jesus Christ’s children of conversion.

I had no problem listening to that until he said, from before the beginning of time, God has had a plan and he has called to himself and elect chosen people whose number cannot be listed. And he has done that by his own sovereign will. When I heard that salvation was the result of God’s plan, I literally, as each sentence progressed, my vision became closer and closer until finally, as I was listening to this teacher, literally blinded with anger, so upset that somebody would say that salvation was the result of God’s plan. And for me, the doctrine of predestination was an indicator of my own lack of understanding of God’s word. There needs to be a word of caution as we look at isolated doctrines, as we look at the doctrine of predestination, we can never separate it from the rest of scripture.

We must always look at any single doctrine within the whole framework of what is referred to as the counsel of God. You cannot talk about predestination without understanding the work of Jesus Christ or of his scripture, or of his promise of the church, or of his blessed return. To understand this doctrine, you must understand it within the entire framework of the teaching of God’s word. Now, there are some who think that the doctrine of predestination is simply a teaching of John Calvin. And I think it has been unfairly given the name of Calvinism. Those who believe in predestination have historically been called Calvinists. Well, is that correct? Is this a doctrine that slept for centuries until one man uncovered it? Well, the generation before John Calvin found Martin Luther. Martin Luther, the great reformer of the church.

He said, predestination is not so incomprehensible as many think, but is rather full of sweet comfort for the elect. A century before that, the great John Wycliffe, who would be responsible for the translation of God’s word into English, Wycliffe said some 200 years before Calvin that predestination, that doctrine is the central place of my theology. And if we go back even further, Thomas Aquinas said, it is fitting that God should predestine men, for all things are subject to his providence. Augustine in the fourth century spoke extensively about the doctrine of predestination. As a matter of fact, his writings were the popular books of the day. And as people would say, have you read what but Augustine wrote, the subject that intrigued them was predestination. And where did Augustine find this strange doctrine? He found it in the writings of Paul.

And where did Paul receive this teaching? Through Jesus Christ and his teaching. BB Warfield says, it is a truth deserving the strongest emphasis, that the system of doctrine which Calvin taught was not peculiar to himself and was in no sense new. It was in fact the gospel by which they called themselves evangelicals. And if you look simply at the teachings of the church, you will find that the doctrine of predestination is believed by the Presbyterian Church. It is also believed by the Lutheran Church. You will find it in the confessions of the Anglican Church, of the Episcopal Church. The Puritans were unanimous in their conviction of the doctrine of predestination. The pilgrim, the Baptists, the Huguenots, those French Christians, believers in the doctrine of predestination.

And even if you look to the founding of this country, you will find that John Endicott, first governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Hooker, the founder of Connecticut, John Davenport, the founder of New York, Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, all believed in the importance of the doctrine of predestination. It’s interesting. One of the criticisms of the doctrine of predestination is that it prevents individual responsibility. Those who would not fully understand this doctrine say predestination causes people to be inactive. If it’s all predestined, it’s a fixed horse race and God is going to do what he wants to do and therefore we do not have to participate in his creation. And yet, there was a nation that was unanimously an experiment in the doctrine of predestination, the founding of this nation.

It was the unanimous opinion of those who came, puritans, the pilgrims, the Baptists, the Presbyterians, the covenanters, all of them, founded on this one doctrine that tied together their whole worldview. And what was produced as a result of that? What was produced was the first time in the nation of the. In the history of the world where the rights of men were presented, where liberty and free choice became the anthem, the rallying cry, where equality and self government became the keynotes of that government. It’s interesting that this nation, founded by Calvinists, founded by those who believed in this strange doctrine, should produce a country that prides itself on free choice. And herein is one of the clues to an understanding of the doctrine of predestination. That tied to that doctrine is also the teaching of God’s word, of the free choice of man.

Well, what does the Bible have to say on this subject? Well, if you were to remove from the scriptures every verse and chapter that refers to either predestination, election or foreknowledge, you would have taken away from the scripture some of the most central teachings of God’s word. And if you were to take with a scissor and cut out those verses, you would have before you nothing but a scrap of pieces of paper, cut and mutilated. For the teaching of this doctrine is woven through the entire tapestry of God’s word. There is a group of people who are referred to over and over again as the elect, the chosen of God. We read Jesus saying for false Christ and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive. If possible, the electricity.

Jesus said, unless those days are shortened, no flesh will be saved, but for the elect’s sake, those days will be shortened. Jesus said, shall God not avenge his own elect? In the book of Romans we read, who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? Jesus tells us that the coming of the Son of man will be God sending his angels with a great sound of the trumpet, and they will gather together his elect. There is an entire book in the New Testament that is addressed to the elect lady and her children, the book of Second John. The teaching of election of predestination is central to the understanding of God’s word. We find the word predestined. Predestine used a number of times in the scripture. In Ephesians one four, we read that God predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself.

And what was the standard for his predestination? It was according to the good pleasure of his will. In Ephesians 111, we read, we have obtained an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all according to the counsel of his will. Romans 830 is considered that golden chain upon which the pearls of truth are strung. When we read, moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he glorified. And where did the glorification begin? Where did the justification begin? Where did the calling begin? Paul tells us, in the predestination of God, if you were to look in the scripture for a chapter that speaks extensively on any one doctrine, you will be hard pressed to find an entire chapter that is devoted to any one doctrine.

You will find large portions of the chapter, but hard pressed to find an entire chapter dealing with a single doctrine. Predestination is not supported by one verse. It is not supported by several verses. It is not supported by one entire chapter. If you were to look at God’s word, you will find that there are three entire chapters that deal with the doctrine of predestination. Romans eight, romans nine, romans ten, unique in its emphasis. And yet, as Warfield said, central to an understanding of the Christian belief system. If man will not listen to the prophets, if man will not listen to the son, then how is anyone to be saved? And that is exactly the point of predestination, that man on his own does not want new life. Man on his own does not seek after God.

It is God who calls out to man it is God who quickens a heart. It is God who changes a mind out of darkness into light. And if anything is clear in the teaching of gods word, it is that natural man, unaided by the spirit of God, will not come to God. And so God, knowing our nature from the beginning of time, called to himself a people who would come, but they would come not out of their own sense of desire to come. But God would touch their heart and mind to begin to think about Christian things in a way that they never thought of them. To begin to have an interest in the things of God. And they marvel, why am I interested? Why do I even come to hear God’s word taught?

And they marvel because of the work that God has done in them. And we all instinctively know that none of us on our own wants to receive the life that Jesus Christ offers. The natural man would rather do anything other than to read the Bible, pray, witness, serve him, go to his church. The natural man would rather play soccer. The natural man would rather go to a movie. The natural man would rather spend his time and accumulating all manner of trophies. But he does not want to come to this living God. There are a number of objections to the doctrine of predestination. One of those objections is, why didn’t God save everybody? Why didn’t he predestine everyone to become a Christian? And here we enter a point of the revelation of the Bible where there is no answer.

We do not know why God has not revealed himself to everyone. The scripture does not answer that for us. It leaves it as a mystery. But what it does say is that everything that God does is according to his plan. And that plan is perfect. There’s another objection to the doctrine of predestination. And that is, well, it just isn’t fair. Why should God have chosen some and not chosen others? And upon your answer, I would agree, it is not fair. It is more than fair. What is it that you and I deserve? According to the scripture, because of our disobedience, we deserve the wrath of God. And if were to receive what is fair, we would receive his anger for the sin that we have committed. But God extends to us mercy, grace. Grace is not fair. It is more than fair.

If you have an automobile that’s worth. Worth $500 and I give you $500 for that car, that is a fair deal. But if I give you $5,000 for your car, that’s more than fair. God gives us not what is fair, but to those whom he has chosen. He gives what is more than fair. He gives his grace. He gives his mercy. There are some who say that God, in his unfairness, in the doctrine of predestination, hasn’t he predestined certain people to heaven, but also predestined certain people to hell? It is clear in the scripture that God has predestined people to heaven. But you cannot find in the scripture where God has predestined anyone to hell. What that argument supposes is that man is neutral. That man does not on his own deserve anything. And God capriciously acts one way or another.

But man is not neutral. According to the scripture, there is something that we deserve, and that is the judgment of God for our sin. If a friend of mine. If I were gathered with a group of friends of mine and they said, let’s rob a bank. And I listened to the five of them and I think to myself, I don’t want to rob a bank. And I begin to plea with them, listen, please don’t do that. You are about to change your whole life. And they say, you don’t understand. And out they go. And as they are leaving the room, one of my friends, I wrestle to the floor and I hold him and I say, don’t go. And I restrain him. In the meantime, my friends go out and rob the bank. They commit a murder.

And then the police come and they’re arrested. Let me ask you, do those. Did those men do that act on their own? Or was I responsible? I pleaded with them, not to do it. They understood clearly the instruction, but they went ahead and did it. And the scriptures teach, let no man say when he is tempted, that he is tempted of God. Man is responsible for his actions. But what about my friend who I wrestled to the floor? Can he say, I’m such a good person, I didn’t get involved in that? Or must he humbly admit that if he had his way, he would have been involved in that sin? And. But for the plea, but for the restraint, he knows what he deserves. There is a teaching upon which the Christian church rests. It is vastly unpopular. It is predestination.

Predestination, a topic that many of us have failed to comprehend or have avoided like the plague. Thank you, Ken. First of all, for being willing to deal with it. And secondly, for giving us such a clear and incisive explanation. I’m sure some of you would appreciate being able to hear this again and perhaps study this doctrine in one of your Bible studies. We invite you to write for information on securing a cassette of this broadcast. Or, in fact, any others on our lists. The address simply from the word of God, Box 3003, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. Better still, why not give Ken a call right now? Jot down this phone number, area code 60992 110 20. We’d appreciate a visit from you some Sunday when you’re in Princeton.

We meet in the John Witherspoon Middle School on Walnut Lane, just out from the main square in historic Princeton, New Jersey. Sunday school meets at 930 and the morning worship service is at eleven. And now, for Pastor Ken Smith and all the friends of the Princeton Presbyterian Church, this is Joe Springer inviting you to tune in again next week, same time and station, for another presentation from the word of God.

Thank you for listening to affirm foundation presented by Princeton ministries. This programming is supported by you, the listener. You may go to our website, princetonministries.org, or send your donation to Princeton Ministries Post Office box 2171, Princeton, New Jersey 08543. That’s Princeton Ministries, post office box 2171, Princeton, New Jersey 08543. The Lord bless you and Doctor Smith looks forward to hearing from you.